Floating Point Systems: Difference between revisions

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=== Parallel processing ===
=== Parallel processing ===
In 1986, the ''T-Series'' [[Multiple instruction, multiple data#Hypercube interconnection network|hypercube]] computers using [[INMOS]] [[transputer]]s and [[Weitek]] [[floating-point]] processors was introduced. The T stood for "[[Tesseract]]". Unfortunately, parallel processing was still in its infancy and the software tools and libraries for the T-Series did not facilitate customers' parallel programming.  I/O was also difficult, so the T-Series was discontinued, a mistake costing tens of millions of dollars that was nearly fatal to FPS. A few dozen T-series were delivered.
In 1986, the ''T-Series'' [[Multiple instruction, multiple data#Hypercube interconnection network|hypercube]] computers using [[INMOS]] [[transputer]]s and [[Weitek]] [[floating-point]] processors was introduced. The T stood for "[[Tesseract]]". Unfortunately, parallel processing was still in its infancy and the software tools and libraries for the T-Series did not facilitate customers' parallel programming.  I/O was also difficult, so the T-Series was discontinued, a mistake costing tens of millions of dollars that was nearly fatal to FPS. A few dozen T-series were delivered.
=== Server and workstation products ===
Along with the newly introduced, low-end M64/20 and M64/30 floating-point processors, FPS introduced systems based on these processors in the form of the M64/220 and M64/230 "superservers", combining them with the [[Sun Microsystems]] [[Sun-3]]/50 workstation, offering 6&nbsp;MFLOPS and 12&nbsp;MFLOPS respectively, and priced from £{{Format price|125000}} to £{{Format price|200000}}, alongside the M64/320 and M64/330 "superstations", combining their processors with the [[Digital Equipment Corporation]] [[VAXstation]] II/GPX, priced from £{{Format price|160000}} or ${{Format price|187000}} to £{{Format price|230000}} or ${{Format price|275000}}.<ref name="unigramx19860816_fps">{{ cite news | url=https://archive.org/details/UnigramX1986059-108/page/n162/mode/1up | title=FPS Gets into Workstation Market and Hopes for Profit Next Year | work=Unigram/X | date=16 August 1986 | access-date=14 September 2025 | pages=3 }}</ref><ref name="computerworld19860818_fps">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/computerworld2033unse/page/37/mode/1up | title=Floating Point strives to bring supercomputing into office | magazine=Computerworld | last1=Connolly | first1=James | date=18 August 1986 | access-date=14 September 2025 | pages=37,40 }}</ref>
FPS also took the opportunity in 1986 to rename various existing products to incorporate them into the M64 naming scheme, this affecting the FPS-164, FPS-264 and FPS-364 models.<ref name="computerworld19860818_fps"/><ref name="kulas1987">{{ cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_deccompetirallelProcessingDec87_2987759/page/n49/mode/2up | title=Emerging Technologies Multi/Parallel Processing | publisher=Digital Equipment Corporation | last1=Kulas | first1=Mary C. | date=December 1987 | access-date=14 September 2025 | pages=59–60 }}</ref> The performance of these products, described using peak MFLOPS figures in reporting, was also described in more detail in advertising, with the 38 peak MFLOPS of the FPS-264 corresponding to a [[LINPACK benchmarks|LINPACK]] rating of 9.9&nbsp;MFLOPS and a [[Whetstone (benchmark)|Whetstone]] rating of 19&nbsp;MWIPS.<ref name="digitaldesign198508_fps">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_DigitalDesN08198509_59881699/page/n22/mode/2up | title=The FPS 64-Bit Family: Consider Why The Most Accessible Supercomputers May Be The Fastest Way To Do Your Job. | magazine=Digital Design | date=August 1985 | access-date=15 September 2025 | pages=20–21 }}</ref>
=== Collaboration with Digital ===
In 1987, FPS and Digital Equipment Corporation announced a range of VAX configurations that included the FPS M64/30 and M64/60 accelerators. The arrangement included a [[VAX 8000|VAX 8200]] system combined with the M64/30 priced at ${{Format price|330000}}, and VAX 8550, 8700 and 8800 systems combined with the M64/60 priced from ${{Format price|1000000}}. The M64/30 was described as a 12&nbsp;MFLOPS processor, with the M64/60 reportedly delivering 38&nbsp;MFLOPS.<ref name="computerworld19870406_fps">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/computerworld2114unse/page/55/mode/1up | title=Floating Point, DEC to co-market systems | magazine=Computerworld | date=6 April 1987 | access-date=13 September 2025 | pages=55,61 }}</ref>


=== Celerity acquisition; acquisition by Cray ===
=== Celerity acquisition; acquisition by Cray ===
In 1988, FPS acquired the assets of [[Celerity Computing]] of [[San Diego, California]], renaming itself as '''FPS Computing'''. Celerity's product lines were further developed by FPS, the [[Celerity 6000]] [[minisupercomputer]] being developed into the ''FPS Model 500'' series.
In 1988, FPS acquired the assets of [[Celerity Computing]] of [[San Diego, California]], renaming itself as '''FPS Computing'''. Celerity's product lines were further developed by FPS, the [[Celerity 6000]] [[minisupercomputer]] being developed into the ''FPS Model 500'' series.


FPS was acquired by [[Cray]] in 1991 for $3.25 million, and their products became the ''[[Cray S-MP|S-MP]]'' and ''APP'' product lines of [[Cray Research]].<ref name="obit">{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/11/post_49.html|last=Tobias|first=Lori|author2=Mike Rogoway |author3=Richard Read |title=Norm Winningstad, high-tech pioneer and philanthropist in Oregon, dies at 85|date=November 24, 2010|work=[[The Oregonian]]|access-date=1 December 2010}}</ref>
FPS was acquired by [[Cray]] in 1991 for $3.25 million, and their products became the ''[[Cray S-MP|S-MP]]'' and ''APP'' product lines of [[Cray Research]].<ref name="obit">{{cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/11/post_49.html|last=Tobias|first=Lori|author2=Mike Rogoway |author3=Richard Read |title=Norm Winningstad, high-tech pioneer and philanthropist in Oregon, dies at 85|date=November 24, 2010|work=[[The Oregonian]]|access-date=1 December 2010}}</ref>


The S-MP was a [[SPARC]]-based [[multiprocessor]] server (based on the Model 500); the MCP a matrix co-processor array based on eighty-four [[Intel i860]] processors. After Cray purchased FPS, it changed the group's direction by making them ''Cray Research Superservers, Inc.'', later becoming the '''Cray Business Systems Division''' (Cray BSD). The MCP was renamed the [[Cray APP]]. The S-MP architecture was not developed further. Instead, it was replaced by the ''[[Cray CS6400|Cray Superserver 6400]]'', (CS6400), which was derived indirectly from a collaboration between [[Sun Microsystems]] and [[Xerox PARC]].
The S-MP was a [[SPARC]]-based [[multiprocessor]] server (based on the Model 500); the MCP a matrix co-processor array based on eighty-four [[Intel i860]] processors. After Cray purchased FPS, it changed the group's direction by making them ''Cray Research Superservers, Inc.'', later becoming the '''Cray Business Systems Division''' (Cray BSD). The MCP was renamed the [[Cray APP]]. The S-MP architecture was not developed further. Instead, it was replaced by the ''[[Cray CS6400|Cray Superserver 6400]]'', (CS6400), which was derived indirectly from a collaboration between [[Sun Microsystems]] and [[Xerox PARC]].


=== Acquisition by SGI and Sun ===
=== Acquisition by SGI and Sun ===
[[Silicon Graphics]] acquired Cray Research in 1996, and shortly afterward the Cray BSD business unit along with the CS6400 product line was sold to Sun Microsystems for an undisclosed amount (acknowledged later by a Sun executive to be "significantly less than $100 million").<ref>{{cite press release
[[Silicon Graphics]] acquired Cray Research in 1996, and shortly afterward the Cray BSD business unit along with the CS6400 product line was sold to Sun Microsystems for an undisclosed amount, acknowledged later by a Sun executive to be "significantly less than $100 million",<ref>{{cite press release
   |title= Sun Microsystems announces intent to purchase Cray Business Systems Division
   |title= Sun Microsystems announces intent to purchase Cray Business Systems Division
   |publisher= Sun Microsystems
   |publisher= Sun Microsystems
Line 48: Line 56:
  | date = 2002-05-06
  | date = 2002-05-06
  | access-date = 2019-01-24
  | access-date = 2019-01-24
}}</ref> Sun was then able to bring to market the follow-on to the CS6400 which Cray BSD was developing at the time, codenamed ''Starfire'', launching it as the [[Sun Enterprise 10000|Ultra Enterprise 10000]] [[multiprocessor]] server. This system was followed by the [[Sun Fire 15K]] and Sun Fire 25K. These systems allowed Sun to become a first tier vendor in the large server market. In January 2010, [[Sun acquisition by Oracle|Sun was acquired by Oracle Corporation]].
}}</ref> and estimated to be as low as ${{Format price|17000000}}.<ref name="chm-nov2021"/>{{rp|pages=22}} Sun was then able to bring to market the follow-on to the CS6400 which Cray BSD was developing at the time, codenamed ''Starfire'', launching it as the [[Sun Enterprise 10000|Ultra Enterprise 10000]] [[multiprocessor]] server. Sun reportedly sold 7,000 of these systems priced at around ${{Format price|1000000}}, generating "five billion plus of margin".<ref name="chm-nov2021">{{cite interview |last=Masters |first=Clark |interviewer=Uday Kapoor |title=Oral History of Clark Masters |work=Computer History Museum |date=18 November 2021 |location=Escondido, California |url=https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2022/02/102792300-05-01-acc.pdf |access-date=30 July 2025}}</ref>{{rp|pages=11}} This system was followed by the [[Sun Fire 15K]] and Sun Fire 25K. These systems allowed Sun to become a first tier vendor in the large server market. In January 2010, [[Sun acquisition by Oracle|Sun was acquired by Oracle Corporation]].


== See also ==
== See also ==
Line 60: Line 68:
==External links==
==External links==
* [http://djcoregon.com/news/2008/08/19/groundbreaking-in-hillsboro-for-kaiser-permanente-clinic-in-1986/ 1986 news about FPS] - ''Daily Journal of Commerce''
* [http://djcoregon.com/news/2008/08/19/groundbreaking-in-hillsboro-for-kaiser-permanente-clinic-in-1986/ 1986 news about FPS] - ''Daily Journal of Commerce''
* [http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Parallel.html The History of the Development of Parallel Computing]
* [https://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Parallel.html The History of the Development of Parallel Computing]
* Howard Thrailkill [http://www.escholarship.org/editions/view?docId=ft0f59n73z;chunk.id=d0e15843;doc.view=print FPS Computing: A History of Firsts]
* Howard Thrailkill [http://www.escholarship.org/editions/view?docId=ft0f59n73z;chunk.id=d0e15843;doc.view=print FPS Computing: A History of Firsts]
* [[Gordon Bell]]. [http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/gbell/Supers/Supercomputing-A_Brief_History_1965_2002.htm "A Brief History of Supercomputing"]
* [[Gordon Bell]]. [https://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/gbell/Supers/Supercomputing-A_Brief_History_1965_2002.htm "A Brief History of Supercomputing"]


{{FormerORCompanies}}
{{FormerORCompanies}}

Latest revision as of 01:47, 30 November 2025

Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Floating Point Systems, Inc. (FPS), was a Beaverton, Oregon vendor of attached array processors and minisupercomputers. The company was founded in 1970 by former Tektronix engineer Norm Winningstad,[1] with partners Tom Prints, Frank Bouton and Robert Carter. Carter was a salesman for Data General Corp. who persuaded Bouton and Prince to leave Tektronix to start the new company. Winningstad was the fourth partner.[2]

History

The original goal of the company was to supply economical, but high-performance, floating-point coprocessors for minicomputers. In 1976, the AP-120B array processor was produced. This was soon followed by a unit for larger systems and IBM mainframes, the FPS AP-190. In 1981, the follow-on FPS-164 was produced, followed by the FPS-264, which had the same architecture. This was five times faster, using ECL instead of TTL chips.

These processors were widely used as attached processors for scientific applications in reflection seismology, physical chemistry, NSA cryptology and other disciplines requiring large numbers of computations. Attached array processors were usually used in facilities where larger supercomputers were either not needed or not affordable. Hundreds if not thousands of FPS boxes were delivered and highly regarded. FPS's primary competition up to this time was IBM (3838 array processor) and CSP Inc.

Cornell University, led by physicist Kenneth G. Wilson, made a supercomputer proposal to NSF with IBM to produce a processor array of FPS boxes attached to an IBM mainframe with the name lCAP.

Parallel processing

In 1986, the T-Series hypercube computers using INMOS transputers and Weitek floating-point processors was introduced. The T stood for "Tesseract". Unfortunately, parallel processing was still in its infancy and the software tools and libraries for the T-Series did not facilitate customers' parallel programming. I/O was also difficult, so the T-Series was discontinued, a mistake costing tens of millions of dollars that was nearly fatal to FPS. A few dozen T-series were delivered.

Server and workstation products

Along with the newly introduced, low-end M64/20 and M64/30 floating-point processors, FPS introduced systems based on these processors in the form of the M64/220 and M64/230 "superservers", combining them with the Sun Microsystems Sun-3/50 workstation, offering 6 MFLOPS and 12 MFLOPS respectively, and priced from £125,000 to £200,000, alongside the M64/320 and M64/330 "superstations", combining their processors with the Digital Equipment Corporation VAXstation II/GPX, priced from £160,000 or $187,000 to £230,000 or $275,000.[3][4]

FPS also took the opportunity in 1986 to rename various existing products to incorporate them into the M64 naming scheme, this affecting the FPS-164, FPS-264 and FPS-364 models.[4][5] The performance of these products, described using peak MFLOPS figures in reporting, was also described in more detail in advertising, with the 38 peak MFLOPS of the FPS-264 corresponding to a LINPACK rating of 9.9 MFLOPS and a Whetstone rating of 19 MWIPS.[6]

Collaboration with Digital

In 1987, FPS and Digital Equipment Corporation announced a range of VAX configurations that included the FPS M64/30 and M64/60 accelerators. The arrangement included a VAX 8200 system combined with the M64/30 priced at $330,000, and VAX 8550, 8700 and 8800 systems combined with the M64/60 priced from $1 million. The M64/30 was described as a 12 MFLOPS processor, with the M64/60 reportedly delivering 38 MFLOPS.[7]

Celerity acquisition; acquisition by Cray

In 1988, FPS acquired the assets of Celerity Computing of San Diego, California, renaming itself as FPS Computing. Celerity's product lines were further developed by FPS, the Celerity 6000 minisupercomputer being developed into the FPS Model 500 series.

FPS was acquired by Cray in 1991 for $3.25 million, and their products became the S-MP and APP product lines of Cray Research.[8]

The S-MP was a SPARC-based multiprocessor server (based on the Model 500); the MCP a matrix co-processor array based on eighty-four Intel i860 processors. After Cray purchased FPS, it changed the group's direction by making them Cray Research Superservers, Inc., later becoming the Cray Business Systems Division (Cray BSD). The MCP was renamed the Cray APP. The S-MP architecture was not developed further. Instead, it was replaced by the Cray Superserver 6400, (CS6400), which was derived indirectly from a collaboration between Sun Microsystems and Xerox PARC.

Acquisition by SGI and Sun

Silicon Graphics acquired Cray Research in 1996, and shortly afterward the Cray BSD business unit along with the CS6400 product line was sold to Sun Microsystems for an undisclosed amount, acknowledged later by a Sun executive to be "significantly less than $100 million",[9][10] and estimated to be as low as $17 million.[11]Template:Rp Sun was then able to bring to market the follow-on to the CS6400 which Cray BSD was developing at the time, codenamed Starfire, launching it as the Ultra Enterprise 10000 multiprocessor server. Sun reportedly sold 7,000 of these systems priced at around $1 million, generating "five billion plus of margin".[11]Template:Rp This system was followed by the Sun Fire 15K and Sun Fire 25K. These systems allowed Sun to become a first tier vendor in the large server market. In January 2010, Sun was acquired by Oracle Corporation.

See also

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ G.B. Dodds, C.E. Wollner & M.M. Lee, The Silicon Forest, Oregon Historical Society Press, 1990, p 46-55.
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

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